1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the sport of rod and reel fishing, and more particularly concerns a jig which, when pulled through water at the end of a fishing line, imparts beneficial motion to a rubbery lure attached to said jig.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fishing devices known as jigs, jig heads, fishing jigs or jig lures have long been used in sport fishing. Such devices are comprised of a fish hook having a barbed trailing or rearward extremity, a shank portion, and a leading or forward line attachment extremity opposite from said barbed extremity. A weight, usually of lead, is generally associated with said leading extremity. An eyelet which facilitates attachment of a fishing line is associated with said leading extremity. The eyelet is usually integral with the shank having been formed by a bending operation, and may be emergent from the weight or separate therefrom. Fish-attracting means in the form of natural or artificial baits are disposed upon the hook.
A conventional jig lure can be cast and retrieved, trolled or jerked up and down vertically. Because the fishing line is attached to the lure at its weighted leading or head extremity, the lure rides head down with the barbed rearward tip extremity facing up. This provides some degree of immunity to snags.
Various specialized modifications of jig lures have earlier been disclosed for achieving distinctive fish-attracting movements or appearances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,876 to Lewis concerns a balanced jigging lure having a T-shaped shank with an upwardly directed arm provided with an eyelet for line attachment. Suitable artificial or live bait is applied to the barbed top portion. When manipulated in an up and down motion, the lure assumes a substantially horizontal disposition, and produces a fish-like movement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,180 to Gwaldaz discloses a jig lure whose shank portion has a right angle bend which forms an arm having an upwardly disposed eyelet for line attachment. A pliable fish-attracting element is disposed upon the barbed portion of the hook. U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,366 to Manno relates to a fishing jig having a shaft which is bent in a manner to permit knotless attachment to a fishing line.
Some of the aforementioned earlier jig lines are of expensive construction because of the need to solder together separate components. Those earlier fishing jigs which have line-attachment eyelets disposed above the shank portion prevent the proper mounting of a rubbery lure upon said shank portion. Few earlier fishing jigs contemplate use in a trolling manner with a rubbery lure whose motion is interactively dependent upon the construction of the jig.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a fishing jig adapted for use with a rubbery fishing lure component.
It is another object of this invention to provide a fishing jig as in the foregoing object which permits the mounting thereupon of a rubbery lure component in a proper orientation for fishing purposes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fishing jig lure comprised of the fishing jig of the aforesaid nature in combination with a rubbery lure component of specialized construction.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a fishing jig of the aforesaid nature of simple construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.